She Is
by Kyoko Saiki
Summary: Begins where Kaoru faints after the injury she'd recieved, and Kenshin's POV on her. I got this idea from one fanfic I read thru one of the fic archives of an author. Thanks to her for this fic!! (gomen too for taking the storyline...) ^.^


Saiki_san: anyway… I have used the word "wanderer" instead of "rurouni" because, well, in the story, it'll sound very akward… enjoy!  
  
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She is…  
  
Wanderer stared down at the unconscious girl in his arms. Pale, her gi soaking red at one sleeve, he stopped to recall their previous meeting. "She did day Kamiya…" shifting her weight so that she would not be uncomfortable, he proceeded to roam around, finding her house.  
  
On the way, he realised that this girl didn't put on any perfume, very strange contrast to the other girls he'd saved during his wandering period. He wrinkled his nose. She smelled strongly of sweat.  
  
She must have worked very hard, for a girl so young.  
  
He glanced at her face. She mustn't be more than eighteen, the right time to get married. And also, he was surprised that she donned man's clothes instead of kimono of silk or cotton. "Baka. She came to fight." He scolded himself. "Her family's name was tarnished because of the fake…" unwilling to go on, and not bring up his past, he walked on. A pained groan drew his attention to her again. Her features were etched with anguish and pain.  
  
She is lonely.  
  
Wanderer pitied the young girl. Though faced with many situations of saving people, this was the first time he'd ever faced with this situation. And why's the girl out alone? He'd find out more in the morning. Adjusting her again, her round head resting against the hollow of his shoulder, he felt her steady breathing. He twisted his head. Her bleeding has stopped. "Better find her house…" quickening his pace, he looked around, reading sign after sign, when finally, he found a rather tattered dojo, and the sign read: "Kamiya Kasshin Ryuu" "This must be it…" He reached out for the door, and found it was locked. Knocking a few times on it, he waited outside in the cold for a moment. But no one came. "No one?! That explains it…" Backing a little, he jumped easily on the roof, and then landed deftly on the other side. Checking she wasn't stirred, he proceeded round the dojo to the quarters.  
  
Searching room after room, all of them dusty and empty, he finally found a room with lady accessories. Kimono hanger on one end, a chest on the other, and a futon at the door's corner. Kicking the futon straight, he carefully and gently laid the weight down. The tensed muscles on the girl's face relaxed, and he could see her face properly. He inhaled sharply. Kirei… So beautiful. Not those kinds the girls donned pretty kimonos and make-up to look pretty. Something in her radiated warmth, like the sun. So innocent, so pure, that he dare not touch her. But he knew better that be involved to love her. Getting up, he headed round the house, collecting everything he needed.  
  
Entering the kitchen, he took a basin and filled it up with water. Looking at the clear surface, he stared down at his reflection. "Is it worth it…?" he thought. "All these years?" sighing, he collected everything and padded back to her room.  
  
Entering the room again, he laid everything in order before tending to her wound. Taking down one sleeve, he started on the wound. But then, as he finished tending, he started tucking her in, he realised the gi she was wearing was too dirty to feel uncomfortable. Searching round her room, he found a clean yukata. Ignoring the fact he was undressing a woman, he closed his eyes, steadied his breathing, be fore taking her gi off, then her hakama, before dressing her in the yukata, all the while closing his eyes. After tying the final knot, he opened his eyes, and let out the air he was holding on. "There done…" looking at the sleeping girl, he got up, and exited the room hurriedly. Going round the house and to the balcony outside the training hall, he sat down and closed his eyes. It had been a long night. And slept. Yes, he would protect his fragile girl no matter what.  
  
She is special.  
  
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Pretty lame… actually… just woke up in the middle of the night, and started writing. ^^;; Do R and R!  
  
Saiki-san 


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